"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

– Matthew 28:20

Africa & Europe

• Pray for the safety of our staff and their families in Ghana. Many of our staff live with their elderly parents, who are in high-risk categories for COVID-19 and only have access to insufficient hospital care. Some staff are moving their parents into the village to get them away from the densely populated areas. Pray for their health, protection and peace of mind.

Latin America

• Praise God for the opportunity to train 15 church leaders and members to better serve child survivors of sexual violence in Bolivia. Across the first quarter of the year, our team trained 40 people from different churches on best practices of trauma-informed care, as well as the legal process to follow in cases of violence against women and sexual violence against children. Praise God for the steps these people have taken to do justice in their present circumstances and as a reflection of their faith. Pray that when the strict COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, they can fully put in practice all they have learned by supporting the most vulnerable around them.

South Asia

• Praise God for a successful rescue operation this week, where 360 children, women and men were freed from a brick kiln. They had been made to work under debt bondage for the last six months and faced extreme violence when they asked to leave during the COVID-19 pandemic. IJM and our partner supported local officials in the operation this week to finally get them to safety. This is the third time in five years that authorities have rescued people from this same brick kiln, but in the past the owner has always been released on bail. Pray he would not be able to get bail this time — and that he would finally be held accountable.

Southeast Asia

• Praise God that the five men who were rescued from the fishing industry in Thailand in March are doing well. They are currently at a shelter with their families where they are receiving care and support to heal, including counseling. IJM is checking in with them regularly and ensuring they have what they need during the time of the pandemic. Please continue to pray for their continued good health and recovery from trauma.

IJM HQ & Global Partners

IJM headquarters is located in the United States. IJM has international advancement offices in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

• Praise God for a clean annual Financial Statement audit. We're grateful for our global Finance Team who worked diligently with each office around the world to gather the required data. They were praised by the auditors for their responsiveness and collaboration, especially in a time when COVID-19 has impacted work rhythms across the organization and globally.